Should i get a bjs membership

However, when it comes to affordable dairy items, milk is not on the list. Not only does BJ's generally offer affordable prices on fresh meat, but each store has a butcher on the premises, which can lead to huge savings, Boland says.

That's because, if you ask, one of BJ's butchers will repackage your meat into smaller quantities for free. So you still get the wholesale club price without having to store 25 pounds of ground beef in your freezer.

BJ's is also great for laundry supplies, Boland says, namely detergent. In this case, Costco ends up being 9 cents an ounce, while BJ's is about 8 cents. And when it comes to quality, Boland says the BJ's brand works fine for the price. Summer grilling season is just around the corner. That means you may need to fill up your propane tank and BJ's offers a good deal, according to Boland. A Pleasant Shopping Experience In a survey by Consumer Reports , Costco shoppers reported being more satisfied with their experience than shoppers at nine other major retail chains.

A survey about customer service by Temkin found similar results. Although warehouse stores have undeniable benefits, they have their drawbacks too. Here are a few good reasons not to do your shopping at a warehouse store:.

In addition, all three of the major warehouse chains give you the option of paying more up front for your membership in exchange for rebates or discounts on the goods you buy. Oversized Packages and Quantities Warehouse stores are known for their jumbo-size packages. Buying in bulk to save money makes perfect sense with some products, such as mouthwash or soap.

Impulse Buys Warehouse stores are huge and crammed with an incredible variety of goods. However, while these stores offer great bargains on some items, their prices on others are disappointing. For instance, ShopSmart notes that you can get better prices on Coca-Cola and Tide detergent by looking for a sale — or better yet, stacking a sale with a coupon — at your local supermarket.

With so many pros and cons, how do you know whether a warehouse store is worth it for you? The best way to answer this question is to get inside the warehouse store and scout up and down the aisles. Check prices on the items you buy regularly, jot the prices down on paper or make a note of them on your phone , then compare to the prices at your local supermarket. According to their website , you can cancel easily in one of three ways:. You will also get extra cashback during special events.

If you are on the fence about membership and want to give it a try, you can get a one-day pass for free. Have a full shopping experience like an Inner Circle member. If you intended to shop at the wholesale club at least once a month, or you need to buy in bulk for a family of three or more, then the savings will easily be worth it. If you are a single person or a small family that prefers to shop at smaller stores in lower quantities, then you can safely skip the membership.

If you have no need for bulk buying but crave a few products exclusive to wholesale clubs, you can shop without getting a membership using Instacart or another delivery service. You will have to pay the delivery fees and a tip, however. If you buy more than a few times a year, you would probably save money with the membership. Deanna Balestra is a freelance writer and a koopy. Louis, MO who enjoys writing about a variety of topics including small business, marketing, education, and health.

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BJ's Wholesale. About the Author Patrick Campanale Twitter icon pcamp96 With a love of phones, drones, and computers couldn't make that last one rhyme , I'm always looking for the best deals around!

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